When it comes to speedy dinner recipes, it doesn't get much easier than a trusty bowl of pasta. Lasagna, spaghetti, linguine, farfalle—we love the Italian classic in all shapes and sizes. Why? Well, you see, even the most novice chef can cook this carb to perfection. All you need is a pot of well-salted water, a little patience, and a nonna-approved recipe—from there, it's all noodle slurping, right?

Not quite. As great as pasta tastes all by its lonesome, a lot of recipes tend to fall short when it comes to protein (here's looking at you, penne a la vodka). And at dinnertime, when you want a meal that will actually satisfy your hunger pangs, a bowl of carbs simply isn't going to cut it.

Luckily, there are ways to hack that typical pasta formula in a high protein way. These nine recipes kick things up a notch with cheese, beans, meat, fish, and more. And guess what: Spaghetti bolognese is not included!

Pasta e fagioli is a classic Italian stew that's loaded with veggies, beans, cheese, and meat—AKA, it's full of protein. If you can't find the orecchiette pasta that this recipe calls for, opt for another small noodle variety like elbow pasta or ditalini. Get the recipe here.

This dish takes just 20 minutes to cook. Sausage provides protein and broccoli adds a hit of vitamin C. Again, if your grocery store doesn't sell orecchiette, another small pasta variety will work just as well. Get the recipe here.

Forget, for the moment, the surprisingly low-calorie chicken parm, which is naturally high in protein, and turn your attention to the surprise beneath it. Those noodles pack their own secret protein punch because they're made from edamame instead of flour. For now you can only really find these specialty pastas online, but your local health food store may also carry them. Bonus: Since they're flour-free, they're also gluten-free. Get the recipe here.